Snakes of Rajanpur district [Pakistan] and studies on morphometry and phenetic relationships among them

The present study on the snakes of Rajanpur are based on the description of 16 species belonging to 13 genera viz. Amphiesma, Boiga, Bungarus, Coluber, Echis, Eryx, Lycodon, Naja, Oligodon, Ptyas, Ramphotyphlops, spalerosophis, Xenochrophis. I. Genus Amphiesrma Dumeril and Bibron 1. Amphiesma stolata (Linnaeus) Olive brown or greenish above and off white and light pink below with, spotted ventral tips. Body cylindrical, flattened dorsoventrally supralabials 7, 3rd and 4th touching the eye. Dorsals keeled 19 rows at mid body. Ventrals 154 in male. Subcaudals 75 In male. II.Genus Boiga Fitzinger 2. Boiga trigonata. (Schneider) Light brown or greyish brown above and dull white below. Dorsum with a vertebral series of large white, black edged angular or V- shaped spots. Body moderately compressed. Dorsal scales feebly enlarged, smooth in 21 or 22 rows at mid- body. Ventrals were 200 to 222 in females. Sub caudals single and were 72 to 80 in females. 111. Genus Bungarus Daudin 3. Bungartis caeruleus (Schneider) Jet-black to dark brown above and light pinkish to off white below. Dorsal side with 50-61 narrow transverse white bands. Body cylindrical with pointed tail. Supralabials 7 with 3rd and 4th touching the eye. Dorsals in 17 rows at mid-body. Ventrals were 21.1 to 213 in males and 205 to 206 in females. Subcaudals single, 46 to 47 in males and from 42 to 48 in females. 29-33 rows at mid body. Ventrals 160-171 in males and 230 in female. Subeaudals 30-32 in males and 30 in female. VI Genus Eryx Daudin 7. Eryx johni (Russell) Light mushroom above and cream to light pink below Dorsum with 4-14 black transvers blotches. Body robust, cylindrical with a very little taper. Tail very blunt with tip covered by a rounded shield. Supralabials 11-12. None of then touching the eyes. Dorsal scales smooth in 50 rows at mid- body, Ventrals 194- 177 in males and 195 in female. Subcaudals 29-29 in males and 20 in female. VII- Genus Lycodon. Boie. 8. Lycodon aulicus (Linnaeus) Brown or greyish brown above and white below. Dorsum uniform or with white transverse cross- bars. Body cylindrical but slightly compressed. Supralabials 9. with 3rd, 4th and 5th touching the eye. Dorsals in 17 rows at mid-body. Ventrals strongly angulate lateral by narrow and were 212 in female. Sub caudals divided and were 66 in female. VIII. Genus Naja. Laurenti Naja naja (Eichwald) Jet black to dark brown above and pale grey below. dorso-venterlly flattened anteriorly and sub- cylin posteriorly. Supralabials 7, 3rd and 4th touching the eye, Dorsals rhomboid in 21 rows at mid-body. Ventrals 181-187 in males and 190- 192 in females. Subcaudals 60-64 in males and 62-63 in females. IX. Genus Oligodon. Boie 10 Oligodon arnensis (Shaw) Tan to buff or pale brown above with black narrowly edged with cream. Body cylindrical. Supralabials 7 with 3rd and 4th touching the eyes. Dorsal smooth in 17 rows at mid body. Ventrals were 175 in female and subcaudals were 49 in female. X. Genus Ptyas Fitzinger Ptyas 11. Ptyas mucosus (Linnaeus) Grey to dark olive above with irregular but strongly marked crossbars of scales with black tips and edges, posteriorly, other scales with yellow or light tan edges. Body elongate cylindrical. Supralabials 8, with 4th and 5th touching the eye. Dorsals in 17 rows at mid-body. Ventrals 190 in single male and 196 in female sub caudals divided were 75 in male and 110 in female. XI. Genus Ramphotypholops Oppet 12. Ramp hotyphlops braminus (Daudin) Brown or blackish above lighter below. Supralabials 4, 3rd and 4th in contact with ocular. Scales semieircled in 20 rows around the body. Transverse scales ranged from 270 to 285 rows from occiput to the base of the tail and in 11-12 rows from vent to the tip of the tail. XII. Genus Spalerosophis Jai 13. Spalerosophis atriceps (Fischer) Light yellowish brown above with irregular scattered dark brown or black spots. Body moderately slender with even taper. Sub oculars three separating the eye from supralabials which were 11 or 12, Dorsals keeled in 28-32 rows at mid-body. Ventals 235 in female. Sub caudals divided and 105 in female. 14. Spalerosophis diadema (Schlegel) Light brownish or grey above with a series of large, dark rounded or rhomboidal spots, alternating with much smaller series on each side of the body. Body moderately slender with even taper, preoculars 2. Post oculars 2. Suboculars 3 and separated the eye from supralabials. Supralabials 11. Dorsals 29-31 rows at mid body. Ventrals 230-260 in males stub caudls 112-130 in males. XIII. Genus Xenochophis (Gunther)15. Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider) Yellowish white or olive above with five rows of blackish spots. Body cylindrical. Dorsal more or less distinctly- keeled, 19 rows at mid body. Ventrals 142-143 in males and 145-154 in females. Sub caudals divided and 70 to 75 in males and 85 to 87 in females. 16. Xenochrophls sancti johannis (Boulenger) Pale olive above with uniform or quincuncially arranged balckish spots. Body cylinderical. Supralabials 8 rarely 9, with 4th touching the eye, 5th very small. Dorsals in 19 rows at mid-body. Ventarals 140 in male. Sub caudals divided and 80 in male.